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Soups can be served as a first course, light entrée or main course. Incorporating locally grown, organic vegetables, makes your soups fresher tasting and more sustainable. To round out your soup, pair it with a simple salad.

Whether serving a salad as a main dish or first course, salads provide a refreshing addition to any meal. Salad toppers like tofu, steamed tempeh, sliced avocados, nuts or seeds add protein, texture and nutrition to your daily greens. Soup and salad, are a classic, “made-for-each-other” culinary match!

Avocado and Hummus Picnic Wraps

Makes 4 wraps

These pretty roll ups make the perfect presentation for any eco-picnic or outdoor summer celebration. Make them right before your picnic, so they stay nice and fresh. Make the wraps super-portable by wrapping them in un-bleached parchment paper, then packing them in a chilled cooler. Your meal is neatly and attractively rolled into a hearty sandwich that tastes delicious!

3. Spread a bit of hummus on the far side of the wrap, to act as the “glue” to hold the wrap together after rolling it up.

4. Roll the wrap up very tightly, ending with the seam side down. Leave whole or slice diagonally into 5 pieces. Wrap and go!

Reuben-Style Sandwiches

Makes 2 sandwiches

YUM YUM and my hubby's fave! If you’d rather not use a meat analog in this recipe, you can substitute sautéed tempeh. (see after this recipe!)

Thousand Island Dressing

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon catsup

2 teaspoons minced scallion, white and green parts

Sandwiches

1 cup sauerkraut

2 teaspoons vegan margarine

4 slices rye bread

8 slices vegan swiss cheese

8 slices vegan canadian bacon or ham (see note)

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.

To make the sandwiches, set a colander in the sink. Put the sauerkraut in the colander and press firmly with your hands to extract as much moisture as possible. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the margarine evenly over one side of each slice of bread. Place 2 of the slices, margarine-side down, in a large skillet. Top each with 4 slices of vegan cheese, 4 slices of vegan canadian bacon, and half of the sauerkraut. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing over the sauerkraut and top with another slice of bread, margarine-side up.

Weigh down the sandwiches with a heavy lid or sandwich weight. Cook over medium-low heat until the underside is brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook until the other side is brown and crispy and the vegan cheese is oozing. Serve immediately.

Note: The Thousand Island Dressing is sensational on salads, so that’s a great use for any leftovers. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftover dressing will keep for about 5 days.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

MAKES 3 to 4 SERVINGS

6 cups broccoli florets

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cups cold nondairy milk, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon organic tamari (to taste)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

Dash cayenne pepper

Freshly ground pepper

Place broccoli in steamer and steam over medium-low heat about 7 minutes or until it is crisp tender.

Put the steamed broccoli, garlic, nondairy milk, tamari, salt, seasoning, cayenne and pepper into a blender and process on LOW until smooth, making sure to leave air space at top of blender to allow for steam to escape.

If the soup is too thick, add more nondairy milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, to achieve the desired consistency, pulsing or blending briefly after each addition.

Put the soup in to a medium soup pot and cook until heated through, stirring often. Serve immediately in deep soup bowls with whole grain crackers or crusty bread on the side.

Winter Warming Soup

8 SERVINGS

6 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

8 cups vegetable broth

1 to 2 teaspoons organic tamari

3 cups water, more as needed

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

5 medium red potatoes, peeled and chopped

5 carrots, chopped

2 cups chopped green beans

6 large cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Put the celery, onion, italian seasoning, and 1/3 cup of the broth in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes, adding more broth as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the mixture becomes dry. Stir in the tamari and cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery and onion are tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the remaining broth, the water, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, green beans, and mushrooms. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Stir in the white beans and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer, adding more water as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve piping hot.

Green Goddess Summer Soup

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

14 to 16 ounces soft regular or silken tofu, drained

1⁄2 cup unsweetened nondairy milk, plus more as needed

1 avocado

1⁄3 small sweet onion, chopped

1⁄3 cup fresh parsley, thick stems removed, lightly packed

4 to 6 fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne

1 clove garlic

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Put the tofu, nondairy milk, avocado, onion, parsley, basil, brown sugar, optional oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cayenne in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy. If the soup is too thick, add more nondairy milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, to achieve the desired consistency, pulsing or blending briefly after each addition. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, chill two or three soup bowls. To serve, ladle the soup into the chilled bowls. Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley. Serve immediately

Penne and Lettuce Soup

MAKES 3 to 4 SERVINGS

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup whole-grain penne

3 to 4 ounces smoked or baked tofu, cubed

1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the penne, tofu, and turmeric. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the penne is tender but firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lettuce and simmer just until it wilts but is still bright green, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Savory Sweet Potato Soup

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 medium red onions, chopped

1 large celery stalk, chopped

8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon reduced sodium tamari

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon organic brown sugar (optional)

12 to 20 ounces of water

64 ounces vegetable broth

3 large sweet potatoes, cubed

1 medium parsnip, sliced

2 medium white potatoes, cubed

2 cups fresh green beans, sliced into bite size pieces

Sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, in a large soup pot, until they begin to soften. Add the celery and sauté until soft. Add the mushrooms, adding more olive oil or a bit of water if needed, to keep the mixture moist. When the veggies are soft, add the garlic, tamari, and brown sugar. Continue to cook the mixture until the onions are golden and caramelized. Add the remaining veggies and enough water and broth to cover them completely. Simmer on low for about 90 minutes or until vegetables are soft and flavors are incorporated.

Autumn Delight Soup

Make 4 to 6 servings

This low-fat, but filling soup is inspired by the tastes of fall and winter fare.. It is easy to make using basic, bountiful vegetables from the fall harvest. Add your favorite veggie varieties to make your own version of this delightful, hearty soup.

4 medium white potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, cubed

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed, peeled, cubed

4 carrots, scrubbed and sliced

1 shallot, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

6 stalks celery, with leaves, sliced

8 ounces Baby Bella or white mushrooms, sliced

16 ounces, low fat vegetable broth

1 vegetable bouillon cube

pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon Italian style herbs

Spring or filtered water

Place all of the ingredients into a large soup pot. Add enough water to cover. Cover loosely and simmer over medium/low heat for 50 minutes to one hour. Serve in deep soup bowls with whole grain crackers on the side.

Penne and Black Bean Salad

Makes 8 to 10 servings

SALAD

1 pound whole-grain penne, cooked al dente and drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

5 carrots, chopped

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

1 sweet orange or yellow pepper, chopped

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

12 to 14 leaves chopped fresh basil

4 to 5 leaves chopped fresh oregano

4 leaves chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

DRESSING

1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise, plus more as needed

1/4 cup Dijon mustard, plus more as needed

1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar or maple sugar

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Put all of the salad ingredients in a very large bowl.

Put all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Add the dressing to the pasta salad and toss gently until well combined. If a creamier consistency is desired, add more mayonnaise and/or Dijon to taste. Cover and chill for 3 hours or more until the salad is thoroughly chilled. Serve chilled over a bed of crisp greens with crusty whole-grain bread or rolls on the side.

Red Quinoa, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3/4 cup red quinoa (see note), rinsed very well

1 1/2 cups filtered or spring water

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small red onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, diced

2 medium avocados

Put the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is soft.

Put the cooked quinoa in a medium bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil while it is still warm. Let the quinoa mixture cool for about 15 minutes.

Add the quinoa to the chickpea mixture. Add the parsley, red pepper, and remaining lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Right before serving, cube the avocados and add them to the salad. Toss gently to combine. Serve over lettuce leaves with whole-grain bread on the side. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

NOTE: White quinoa may be used in this recipe.

Summer Cucumber Salad

Makes 2 servings

1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 large sweet or red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Put the cucumber and onion in a medium bowl. To make the dressing, put the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and paprika in a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and onions and toss to coat. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for 1 to 6 hours. Sprinkle with additional paprika if desired, and serve chilled.

Quick Tomato Salad

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 to 3 small cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Toss all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 20 minutes and serve.